Promoting holistic community wellness, Malamiah Juice Bar going strong at the Downtown Market

Jermale and Anissa Eddie are entrepreneurs. Despite not having any business experience,  they had an idea they were passionate about, did their research, and ended up launching Malamiah Juice Bar at the Downtown Market, a small business that now employs five people.

Learning about juicing from a friend and being inspired by the Joe Cross documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, the Eddies had been juicing for over a year when they decided the time was right for a career change for Jermale. "Doors were not opening, so we knew we had to create our own door," says Anissa.

Brainstorming ideas for a business, they decided to open a juice bar. "It sort of hit us. What about a juice bar? It started as a dream and we began layering the many pieces together," says Anissa.

From there, Jermale worked on a business plan through Grand Valley and the couple began exploring options, including buying a food truck. "We started looking around. Different buildings, locations. We were not even sure how to fund this. Then we met someone who was selling a food truck, thinking maybe that was a place to start, but then learned about the opportunity at the market."

After their proposal was accepted, everything fell into place. "It was such a great fit, So much of our business is about fresh produce: vegetables and fruits," says Anissa.

Moving forward, the Eddies are expanding their educational outreach, with a class coming up in January at the Downtown Market, and have several community outreach activities scheduled. They also keep their website updated with recipes and ideas for people to use at home. 

Anissa acknowledges the need to be profitable but says she measure success by helping individuals and communities to embrace a holistic approach to wellness.

To learn more about Malamiah Juice Bar you can visit their site here or Facebook page here.

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor